Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the safety of large panel system buildings.

Building owners are responsible for the safety of their properties. We have written to councils and housing associations to advise them to check the structural safety of buildings which use large panel systems (LPS). If safety checks show that work is necessary, we expect building owners to manage these works and, if needed, ensure people are rehoused.

To assist buildings owners, on the advice of the Independent Expert Advisory Panel and the Standing Committee on Structural Safety, my department commissioned the Building Research Establishment (BRE) to review its risk assessment guidance on the structural safety of LPS buildings, which they have done, and we have established a forum of LPS building owners to disseminate information and good practice.